63-031 Seminar on Anthropogeography B (depending on possibilities with day excursion): International Security and Political Geography

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Scheffran

Event type: Seminar

Displayed in timetable as: Seminar Anthropo B

Hours per week: 2

Language of instruction: German

Min. | Max. participants: 10 | 22

Registration group: Anthropogeographie B

More information:
Further Information:
The participation on the 1-day excursion at Friday 18th of January 2019 is obligatory and can only be substituted by the participation at an excursion of another seminar.

Comments/contents:
Development studies represents an important part of the history of Geography as an academic discipline. Expeditions and studies on colonies and occupied regions in today’s Global South were one of the basic pillars of Geographical scientific research and subsequent concepts. Until today geographical concepts, methods and narratives within development studies show continuities and discontinuities to these academic “traditions”.

Considering this historical background, we will work on central concepts of development and postcolonial studies and the basic critiques on them. Case studies and specific thematic issues will help to understand interwoven processes in the Global North and the Global South as well as structures of inequalities and power relations.

Learning objectives:
The students will learn to question critically the historical background of development concepts and to analyze case studies or specific thematic with the help of texts, videos and schooling materials.

Didactic concept:
The students will work in small groups on the different seminar topics. Less emphasis will be placed on pure "knowledge" than on critical debates and discussions. The theory-based discussions will always be illustrated with (current) case studies.

Literature:
DHAWAN, N. & CASTRO VARELA, M. (2015): Postkoloniale Theorie. Eine kritische Einführung. Bielefeld.
MCEWAN,  C.(2018):  Postcolonialism, Decoloniality and Development.  Routledge.
SACHS, W. (2010): The Development Dictionary. A Guide to Knowledge as Power
ZIAI, A. (2006): Post-Development: Ideologiekritik in der Entwicklungstheorie. In: Politische Vierteljahresschrift, 47 (2): 193–218.